ABSTRACT

The emergence of the multimodal contract of carriage that is a contract that provides for carriage by more than one mode of transport, has, however, altered the reality, which the conventions are to regulate. As the unimodal conventions apply to carriage by a certain mode of transport, the applicability of these unimodal conventions in relation to carriage under multimodal contracts has been questioned, at least in respect of the conventions that apply to contracts of carriage by a particular mode. In relation to transport law, it was concluded that the contract of carriage is a non-formal agreement, the most essential part of which is an undertaking by the carrier to carry goods. According to principles of contractual law, there is no ground for the proposition that a contract of carriage for and another mode of transport is not a contract of carriage by road.